1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for packing articles in a carton, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for forming cartons from carton blanks and for filling such cartons, optimally during the course of carton formation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many manufacturing and processing facilities, the goods or articles being produced are individually wrapped or otherwise packaged to preserve and maintain product integrity and quality until they are opened further down the product distribution chain by the end user. In such instances, it is desirable to package the goods in aggregate form within cartons prior to transport to the end user distribution site in order to facilitate handling of large quantities of product and to protect the product from damage during the course of handling and transport at the origination and destination sites. Goods to be packaged in this manner include many pre-packaged and loose consumer goods such as foodstuffs (e.g., cereals) and other boxed and canned goods, consumer electronics and supplies therefor, and the like. The cartons are typically formed from generally planar carton blanks which are optimally filled during the course of carton formation. The carton blanks are generally comprised of four panels which, when folded along score lines separating the panels, form the top, base and sidewalls of a rectangular carton. A pair of flaps extend from the sides of each panel to form the carton ends. A fifth panel or manufacturer's joint extends from an end of one of the panels to allow for carton sealing with an adhesive, tape, staples or other fastening means. In instances where it is desirable to form a sealed carton, the goods are used as a mandrel against which the carton blank manufacturer's joint is folded, applied with a sealant such as hot melt adhesive, and secured against the carton blank panel forming an exterior side of the carton. Illustrative of the foregoing type of wrap-around carton packing apparatus and methods is the Model 5WR carton packing system manufactured by Schneider Packaging Equipment Company, Inc. of Brewerton, N.Y., the assignee of the invention disclosed and claimed herein.
Carton packing equipment of the type described above is oftentimes operated at a high rate of carton blank folding and product throughput in order to maximize product packing and shipping efficiency. During the course of such high volume operation, as well as during even lower volume operating cycles, adhesive sprayed by the apparatus toward the manufacturer's joint incident to carton sealing can overshoot or run from the manufacturer's joint onto the underlying product package to be encased by the carton. Such adhesive spray overshoot or run-off is sometimes not visually detected by equipment operators present during the course of product packing and is therefore allowed to dry, resulting in an unsightly adhesive residue on the product package which can adversely impact upon the product's marketability once it reaches its destination and is unpacked from its packing carton. Furthermore, product damage can result in instances where the adhesive bonds together the product package and the surrounding carton. For all of the foregoing reasons, it is desirable to ensure proper application of the adhesive to the manufacturer's joint. At the present time, proper adhesive application can best be obtained by operating the pack apparatus at a less than optimal rate of throughput and by instituting more frequent (and therefore costly) inspections and servicing of the various apparatus components to ensure, among other things, that buildup at the adhesive applicator is minimized so as to lessen the occurrence of adhesive spray dispersion beyond the predetermined spray pattern. However, these measures have the unfortunate effect of reducing packing productivity and increasing operating expenses, which offsets the benefit of having automatic packing machinery in the first place.